Archbishop of America meets minister, local government officials in Thessaloniki
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America on Wednesday continued his visit to the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki by meeting Deputy Interior Minister for Macedonia and Thrace Stathis Konstantinidis.
The minister praised Archbishop Elpidophoros' work in promoting the values of Hellenism and strengthening Greece's position abroad, while the Archbishop referred to his childhood growing up in Thessaloniki and his satisfaction with the city's progress and development.
Noting that he was accompanied by 40 members of the Greek-American community, Archbishop Elpidophoros also highlighted the importance of preserving the ties of the Greek Diaspora with northern Greece, especially in light of its important geostrategic role.
After meeting the minister, the archbishop visited the Turkish consulate in Thessaloniki and met Turkish General Consul Serkan Gedik, while he also met with Thessaloniki governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas, assuring him of support on issues relating to the region's growth and investments, as well as in national and social issues.
They also exchanged gifts, and Elpidophoros invited Tzitzikostas to attend the parade in New York on 5th Avenue.
The archbishop's next stop was the Thessaloniki City Hall, where he met the Mayor, Stelios Aggeloudis, and discussing the promotion of the city with expatriate Greeks in order to develop religious tourism.
